DAY 12. Hugo Kovadloff

Designer and Branding Consultant.

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English:

Designer and Branding Consultant. He has a degree in Design from the University Mackenzie.

Studied in Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo and London.

Developed corporate identity programs for some of the nation’s largest companies including Itaú Bank, BMC Bank, Real Bank, Embratel, Seagram and Claro. For the last one, he received the Silver Lion award at Cannes International Festival in 2009.

He was director of SAO, design division of DPZ from 1979 to 1990, of Flag, the company Young & Rubicam, associated with Landor and Consulting Gad’Branding 2001-2011.

He is a Visiting Professor at FGV | PEC Construction Branding and Brand Management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas in São Paulo since 2010.

We know that in the globalized world cities and countries compete to attract tourists, investments and consumers.

But many of them fail to attract because their brands are not as strong as they could be. Meanwhile, others are being benefited in a positive way for having a strong brand and great appeal.

I read some texts by Wally Olins and Luis Borges Gouveia, on this topic. They provided me with very relevant information about Place Branding and what are the issues that truly impact the construction of the brands of countries and cities.

In recent decades we have seen several examples of places that worked positively the question of branding and today are among the top destinations worldwide. Among the cities we can mention Bilbao, Barcelona, Melbourne and between countries Australia, Chile and Peru recently.

What the experts say is that if these brands are powerful is because they knew how to combine their characteristics and history to marketing strategies to become preferred destinations for the public, but mainly for its citizens.

According to Borges, place branding consists in is a promise by which a city or territory wishes to be known. From this, the marketing tries to value one or more functional or emotional characteristics to which people are sensitive. So, a positive image of a particular place is built, using all relevant strategies, especially the design.

In the process of branding and brand building, the first step is to define the attributes that should be valued. Therefore, a careful analysis of the site is made, taking into account its history, attractions, its potential, economics, tourism and even those who govern as well as concepts such as quality of life and environmental concerns.

The goal is to create and deliver unique and consistent experiences to different audiences, making this place a desired place.

To apply the place branding, you must put the collective interests above individual.

Does anyone imagine that such a project can succeed without an effective and continuous exercise of citizenship of its inhabitants? Borges asks.

Moreover, it is necessary to have a long-term commitment to the project. This is because the planning is done by governments, often with the participation of business leaders, but its implementation depends on the support and participation of successors.

With all this, I believe that Brazil is not prepared to work its “country brand”. We are not prepared as a nation and as citizens. We are under construction and far short of having the basic requirements needed to develop the country’s place branding.

There is a long and laborious way to go so we can build a brand that delivers what it promises by providing positive and memorable experiences for its citizens and visitors.

This moment will come if future governments plan with honesty, the long-term interests and without the enjoyment of power.